Article storage and inspection file and file cabinet



Jan. l3, 1970 E. L. BOYCE ET AL ARTICLE STORAGE AND INSPECTION FILE AND FILE CABINET Filed Jan. 24, 1968 INVENTORS' ELVIN L. BOYCE PAUL W. COX

A TTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,489,475 ARTICLE STORAGE AND INSPECTION FILE AND FILE CABINET Elvin L. Boyce and Paul W. Cox, Salt Lake City, Utah, assignors to Elho File Control Systems, Incorporated, Salt Lake City, Utah, a corporation of Utah Filed Jan. 24, 1968, Ser. No. 700,132 Int. Cl. A47b 63/00, 97/02; B42f 21/00 U.S. Cl. 312183 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A file adapted for the storage and retrieval of indexed articles. A plurality of receiving and storing elements for fiat articles are pivotally attached to a pivot rod held in fixed relationship to a structural base. Each element is formed of rectilinearly aligned, short and long lever arms. The short arm is constructed as a push tab. The long arm is constructed as a flat-article-holding member. The receiving and storing elementsare desirably positioned in a file box or cabinet, which is fitted with a suitable removable section to expose either all or some of the elements. The push tabs may be indexed so that when it is desired to inspect a particular stored article the appropriately designated push tab is depressed, thereby raising the article-holding lever arm to bring the stored article upwardly and forwardly out of the storage box and into view.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field This invention relates to the filing and retrieving of fiat articles, notably paper documents or samples. It is particularly directed to a storage and inspection file whereby fiat articles may be stored, yet readily retrieved as needed for inspection. In its preferred embodiments, this invention is directed to a portable file box or sample cabinet useful in the stationery and printing trades to facilitate the rapid retrieval of stored samples of paper goods.

State of the art In connection with the various trades involving the use of paperstocks, e.g., the printing and stationery trades, it is necessary for both the craftsmen and their supplies to have available for inspection samples of many paper stocks. Conventional office filing systems are not entirely satisfactory for storing and retrieving samples of paper goods because of the necessity of physically removing file folders from the cabinets to view their contents and the likelihood of misplacing files which are removed from the cabinet. Bound volues lack the necessary flexibility whereby samples of new stocks may be readily inserted and obsolete samples may be discarded. Locating particular samples in book-type sample displays necessitates handling many samples to locate the desired sheet. Thus, samples are likely to become soiled or worn.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a flat-article storing and inspection file which preferably includes a portable file box or cabinet. The file permits ready inspection and return to storage of individual samples without touching other samples. Although articles may be removed from the file if desired, it is frequently convenient to inspect an article without removing it or even touching it. The file is particularly useful in paper consuming trades for the storage and display of samples of flat paper stocks, greeting cards, and the like, but it also finds application in the storage and retrieval of documents, such as small- Patented Jan. 13, 1970 size or folded architectural or engineering drawings, prints, and pamphlets, as well as many other flat articles, such as those employed in the building trades, notably samples of tiles, rolled goods, and carpets.

In accordance with the invention, the file includes a structural base, a pivot rod mounted above and substantially parallel to the base, and a plurality of flatarticle receiving and storing elements pivotally attached to the pivot rod in side-by-side relationship transversely of the base. Each of the flat-article receiving and storing elements is formed with rectilinearly aligned, short and long lever arms. The short lever arm extends from one side of the pivot rod and is constructed as a push tab member. The long lever arm extends from the opposite side of the pivot rod and is constructed as an articleholding member. Although any convenient article-holding mechanism may be incorporated in the long lever arm, the presently preferred mechanism for holding paper samples is a clip. The clip is preferably formed integrally with the arm and of resilient material.

The fiat-article receiving and storing elements are posi tioned on the pivot rod with respect to the base, so as to have an article-storage position that is approximately horizontal in the normal working position of the file and an article-inspection position that is approximately vertical in the normal working position of the file. The short lever or push tab member is sufiiciently short to avoid prematurely striking the base as it is pushed downwardly from the article-storage position to raise the article-holding member to its article-inspection position. When the push tab member is depressed, the article-holding mem ber and its contents are swung upwardly and forwardly to the article-inspection position.

The base and pivot rod may be of any desired shape. Thus, circular or polygonal, e.g., octagonal, shapes are within contemplation. The generally preferred arrangement has the base include opposite, upstanding ends, with the pivot rod mounted in fixed position in and between the ends above and substantially parallel to the bottom of the base. The base also preferably includes stop means to maintain the article-holding lever arms substantially horizontal when they are in their storage positions. Alternatively, stop means may be provided separately from the base, but mounted in position to hold the stored articles substantially horizontal. It is further within contemplation that a series of vertically oriented surfaces be provided in interleaved" arrangement with the flatarticle holding members if desired, to aid in maintaining the stored articles in an upright position.

According to certain preferred embodiments, the fiatarticle receiving and storing elements are individually removable from the pivot rod, so as to enable convenient rearrangement of the stored articles in the file. If desired, the pivoting elements may be attached to the pivot rod in reluctantly slippable, i.e., frictional, relation such that the elements tend to remain in a raised or partially raised position until pivoting force is applied. Thus, an articleholding, long lever arm and its contents may be raised to any convenient position and will remain in place until deliberately returned to its storage position.

The file preferably includes a suitable file box, cabinet, or other enclosure. The enclosure is shaped and dimensioned to provide storage space for the particular articles intended for storage in the file. The enclosure includes an access opening through which the elements and their contents can pass. Desirably, a cover is provided for the access opening. The cover may or may not be attached to the remainder of the enclosure, but, in any event, is a movable enclosure member adapted for displacement in a closed position such that the enclosure comprehends all of the storage space. The cover is further adapted for removal from its closed position to permit the unobstructed raising o'f'atlea'st one 'of'the articleholding lever arms. The cover may be mounted in a movable relationship with respect to the pivot bar such that it may be manipulated'to expose particular selected lever arms desired to be raised from the enclosure in a particular instance. More often, the cover comprehends all of the storage space of the file such that in its open position the entire array of samples is exposed to view.

The file also desirably includes an index strip mounted substantially parallel to the pivot rod so as to comprehend all of the push tabs in indicating relationship therewith. The index should include a plurality of defined indexing segments spaced such that each push tab corresponds with a specific, individual segment. The segments of the index are keyed to the respective push tabs and indicate the natures of the particular articles held by the articleholding members associated With such push tab members.

The structural base of the file may be integral with the file box, cabinet, or other enclosure, or it may be separate, in which event it may be attached to the bottom of the enclosure by any convenient means. According to some embodiments, the enclosure is a rectilinear box with bottom, front, back, ends, and top, the pivot rod being mounted between the ends, near the front, and subst-antially parallel to the bottom of the box.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing illustrates a file box, which is presently contemplated as the best mode of carrying out the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the file box, with the top and front opened to expose interior construction and contents;

FIG. 2, a vertical section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3, a view corresponding to that of FIG. 2 but enlarged and showing only a fragment of that view, with one of the individual article-receiving and hOlding elements removed from the file and file box.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EBMODIMENT As illustrated, a structural base 10, having opposite, upstanding ends 11, is mounted in a rectilinear file boX 12 such that the bottom 13 of the base rests on the bottom 14 of the box. The base is conveniently of sheet metal, except for its ends, which are preferably of fiber board held to the end walls 15 of the box by rivets 16. The bottom 13 of the base 10 is attached to the bottom 14 of the box by rivets 17 (FIG. 2).

File box 12 may be made of a stiff and hard but thin composition fiber board to include the bottom 14, a back wall 18, opposite end walls 19, a top cover 20 hinged to and along back wall 18, and a drop-front 21 hinged to and along bottom 14. When the hinged top cover and front wall of the box are in open positions, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the article receiving and holding elements of the file and the entire storage space of the file box are exposed for convenient access.

Mounted at its opposite ends in and extending between the upstanding ends 11 of base 10, near and parallel to the front edge of bottom 14 of the box 12 is a rectilinear pivot rod 22. Formed integrally with the base 10 are upstanding rib members 10a and 10b, which serve to structurally stiffen the base and to support article-receiving and storing elements 23, which are pivotally mounted on rod 22. The forward rib member 10a serves as stop means for limiting forward swing of such elements 23 when they are operated to lift a 'stored article into inspection and retrieval position.

The article-receiving and storing elements 23 are removably and replaceably mounted, side-by-side, on pivot rod 22 to provide aclosely arranged series of same from end-to-end of both the file and the file box, as illustrated in FIG. 1. These elements 23 are advantageously molded from a suitable plastic material in accordance with the teaching of our copending application Ser. No. 701,370 filed J an. 29, 1968, and entitled Article-Holding Clip and Method of Producing Samefbut may be of any formation and any material suitable for the purposes of this invention as explained hereinbefore.

In their illustrated form, these elements 23 are as disclosed in the said copending application. Each comprises a long lever arm member 24 of resilient clip formation and a short lever arm member 25 of push tab formation, the two being integrally formed and rectilinearly aligned. Between these two members is formed a downwardly open hook member 26 for pivotal engagement with pivot rod 22. Flat articles, e.g. the variously sized articles 27, FIG. 1, are received and clipped into storage positions by jaw members 24a of the long lever arm or article-holding member 24. When the article-receiving and storing elements 23 are in their norm-a1 storage positions, their article-holding members 24 rest on rib members 10a and 10b of base 10 and are held substantially horizontal. When their push tab members 25 are depressed to bring their article-holding members 24 and articles held thereby into article-inspection and retrieval positions, see the position 28, FIG. 1, these push tab members engage rib 10a of the base structure as a limit stop.

When all of the elements 23 are in their article-storage positions, the front wall or file drop-front 21 can be raised and the file cover 20 closed to protectively enclose the file and contents, as in FIG. 2. A latch 29 of any suitable type is preferably provided between cover and dropfront to maintain the file box closed.

Removal and replacement of any one or more of the article-receiving and storing elements 23 is easily carried out, as is indicated by FIG. 3. Thus, it is only necessary to push hook member 26 of an element 23 in place on pivot rod 22 for installing such an element in the file, and to pull it free for removing the element from the file. The entry throat of each hook member is preferably slightly less in width than the diameter of pivot rod 22 to insure retention of each element 23 on the rod until forcibly pulled free. By making the elements 23 of a somewhat yieldable plastic material, this poses no problem. Moreover, the hook cradle is preferably dimensioned to receive the pivot rod in a closse friction fit such that movement therebetween is reluctantly slippable to insure retention of the article-inspection position during the inspection period.

The drop-front 21 of the file box 12 is particularly advantageous, in that its inside surface may be marked with index divisions 30, FIG. 1, corresponding to the series of article-receiving and storage elements 23 and containing indexing information as to the particular articles stored, to facilitate use of the file. An overlay index sheet may be supplied from time to time instead of marking the inside surface of the drop-front if desired.

Although the. present invention has been described with particular reference to certain details of construction, it must be recognized that many variations and modifications will be suggested to those skilled in the article-holding member, respectively, in substantially rectilinear alignment between themselves and with said pivot rod,

said elements having an article-storage position that is approximately horizontal in the normal Working position of said file and an article-inspection position that is approximately vertical in said working position of the file,

said push tab member being no longer than the distance said pivot rod is mounted above said base, so as to avoid striking said base when pushed downwardly from said article-storage position to raise said article-holding member and to swing it and its contents upwardly and forwardly to said article-inspection position.

2. A file according to claim 1, including an index, mounted substantially parallel to the pivot rod and extending to comprehend all of the push tabs in indicating relationship therewith, said index including a plurality of defined indexing segments spaced such that each push tab corresponds with an individual segment.

3. A file according to claim 1, wherein the article-holding member is formed as a resilient clip.

4. A file according to claim 1, wherein the structural base is elongate, with opposite upstanding ends, and the pivot rod is mounted in fixed position in and extending between said ends, above and substantially parallel with said base.

5. A file according to claim 4, wherein the base is provided with spaced, longitudinally extending, upstanding ribs on which the article-holding members of the receiving and storing elements are adapted to rest in their normal storage positions, one of said ribs providing stop means for the push tab members when they reach article-inspection positions.

6. A file according to claim 1, mounted in an enclosure which is shaped and dimensioned to provide storage space for the articles intended for storage in the file, said enclosure including movable wall means adapted for placement in a closed postion, such that the enclosure comprehends all of the said storage space, and for removal from said closed position to permit unobstructed raising of at least one of the article-holding members and its contents when the push tab corresponding to said member is pushed downwardly.

7. A file according to claim 6, wherein the enclosure is a rectilinear box having top, bottom, front, back and end walls; wherein the pivot rod is mounted substantially parallel with the bottom and front walls thereof; and wherein the movable wall means of the enclosure include the top and front walls thereof.

8. A file according to claim 7, wherein the top wall of the enclosure is hinged to the back wall to swing backwardly, and the front wall of the enclosure is hinged to the bottom wall as a drop-wall to swing downwardly.

9. A file according to claim 7, wherein the front wall of the enclosure is hinged to swing downwardly as a drop wall, and carries an index mounted substantially parallel to the pivot rod and extending so as to comprehend all of the push tabs in indicating relationship therewith and such that distinct portions of said index correspond with respective push tabs.

10. A file according to claim 6, wherein the structural base is elongate, with opposite upstanding ends, the pivot rod being mounted in fixed position in and extending between said ends, above and substantially parallel with said base; and wherein said base is mounted on the bottom of the enclosure near the front thereof.

11. A file according to claim 1, including stop means fixedly mounted relative to the pivot rod for engagement by the push tab members when they reach article-inspection positions.

12. A file according to claim 1, wherein the receiving and storing elements are attached to said pivot rod in reluctantly slippable relationship such as to offer enough frictional resistance to pivotal movement that said elements, when pivoted to raise the article-holding members thereof to article-inspection positions, tend to remain in said positions until force is applied to dislodge said elements from said positions.

13. A file according to claim 1, wherein the flat-article receiving and storing elements each include a hook member adapted to be pushed onto the pivot rod to removably mount said elements on said rod.

14. A file according to claim 13, wherein the articleholding member of each flat-article receiving and storing element is of resilient clip formation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,363,574 11/1944 Cowan 3l210 3,084,983 4/1963 Stuart 3 l2234.5 X 3,258,126 6/1966 Frey 3 1210 X 3,341,271 9/ 1967 Nelson 312-10 X CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

